"Ah... This is the life."
From my penthouse balcony, I gaze out at the calm, windy morning. The sunrise is a kaleidoscope of colors, casting a warm glow over the glimmering blue ocean.
It's the most beautiful thing ever!
Yet, my mind keeps drifting to the man in the room down the hall. Thanks to him, I had a restful night's sleep. Knowing he's under the same roof as me brings me a sense of peace that's hard to match. Second only to this breathtaking ocean view.
I smile to myself, then retreat to my room to unwind with a calming mint bubble bath. Afterwards, I slip into a charming red and white rose flower sundress that perfectly complements my curly hair.
Feeling on top of the world, I practically skip to the room where I left Lorenzo last night. But when I open the door, my smile vanishes instantly.
The bed is empty, with only the chains lying on it, and there's no sign of my ex-husband.
"Enzo?" I step into the room, sensing his presence behind me. But I don't turn around, choosing instead to play dumb.
It's often the best approach in situations like this.
Suddenly, Lorenzo grabs my arm, yanks me backward, and pins me to the door. He holds both my hands above my head, his eyes flashing with intensity as he glares down at me.
"You didn't tighten the chains," He looks roughened up, his hair completely ruffled, yet still impeccably dressed in his crisp white office shirt and slacks.
Yummy!
"Do you want coffee?"
His handsome face contorts into a frown. "Are you being serious right now?"
My lips purse. "You like black coffee first thing in the morning."
"I appreciate that, but I don't appreciate being locked up." he says, his voice heavy with clear displeasure.
"What?" I let out a laugh, the sound escaping my lips before I can contain it.
Lorenzo's eyes narrow. "Zuri,"
"I don't think you understand the term 'abduction,' Enzo. I would have used 'kidnapping,' but you're not a kid, dear ex-husband of mine."
His eyes darken, and I feel a shiver run down my spine. Oops?
"This abduction is over, Zuri." He releases my hands and turns to walk away, snatching his jacket from the couch as he goes.
My legs carry me to the bedside table. "It's not over until I say so, darling," I open the cupboard and pull out the gun, pointing it directly at him.
"You're not leaving." My finger hovers over the trigger.
Lorenzo's eyes widen in surprise, but only for a moment. Then, he chuckles with amusement, raising his hands in mock surrender.
"This reminds me of our early days," He takes slow steps towards me, his eyes never leaving mine.
"I don't think I kidnapped you during our early days, Enzo." I stand my ground, even as he towers over me.
"You didn't," he whispers.
"But I really can't stay here, nor do I want to die at the hands of my ex-wife," he adds, a hint of dry humor in his voice.
"Oh, you know I wouldn't kill you," A laugh bursts out of me, a soft, humorless sound. "Cripple you, yes, but I would never kill you."
His eyes widen, but then he drops his hands and clears his throat.
"How many days?" he asks.
Well, I have a movie night with Zolani... "Two days. Think of it like a short vacation."
He nods slowly, seeming to consider my offer.
"Where's my phone?" he asks suddenly.
"You're not getting it until after the abduction is over, darling." I press the tip of my gun to his chest, but smoothly and swiftly, he snatches the gun from my hand and tosses it onto the bed.
Well, that was anticlimactic.
"What makes you think you can keep me here for two days?" He grabs my chin, tilting my head up, and leans in, his face inches from mine. His hot breath washes over me, sending a shiver of excitement crawling through my veins.
"Because I have power over you, Enzo," I press my hand to his chest and tease open the first button of his shirt, revealing a glimpse of his tattooed chest beneath.
"Power?" he asks, his rough voice barely above a whisper, drawing my gaze back to his beautiful face.
He looks so curious. So cute!
"Out of all the clubs in New York, you chose Cora's. And let's be real, baby boy, no man ditches his fiancée for his ex-wife." I yank his shirt with a fierce tug, sending buttons flying across the floor.
His chiseled chest heaves heavily. Damn!
My head cocks to the side. "You made sure I was comfortable, providing hangover pills and shielding me from drama when I was drunk, Enzo. And.... You could have shot me or pushed me away to escape from here, but you haven't. Since we met, you've done nothing to evade me. You declared divorce, but that's it. You've never avoided me, not even when our home was cold and loveless."
"Zuri, I.."
"I have power over you, which is why you refuse to tell me why you lied about your life. But, thinking about it, you didn't exactly lie; you just withheld the truth." I smile, then tilt my head up to meet his gaze.
The curiosity in his eyes vanishes, replaced by a look of understanding, and something that looks like agreement.
"I told you I couldn't take our marriage anymore," He says suddenly, his hand dropping from my chin as he takes a step back.
Ouch!
"Yes, you said that," I eye him warily.
"It was the truth," he continues, his tone devoid of emotion. "I couldn't take it anymore because it was suffocating."
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I step back, biting my lower lip as I study him from head to toe.
"Suffocating because I was a workaholic?" It hurts. "Because I didn't pay attention to you after chasing you for a whole year?"
Our marriage wasn't what we expected. I'd already contributed significantly to my family's wealth, but the pressure to do more was relentless. Everyone, except Zion, was breathing down my neck. The workload was overwhelming, and my family's interference was suffocating, especially since they never approved of my choice of husband.
No wonder Enzo felt suffocated.
"No, I didn't mean it that way," Lorenzo lowers his head, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Hu.. huh? What are you..?"
"I meant it was suffocating for you. I wanted to free you from me, Zuri."